Assessment Tools for Successful Library Evaluations

Assessment Tools for Successful Library Evaluations is an essential guide for professionals involved in evaluating library operations or teaching assessment methods. Contributions offer clear, detailed descriptions of key assessment and evaluation techniques, complemented by practical examples that demonstrate how these principles can be applied and adapted to any library setting.

Various performance measurement tools are evaluated, such as ethnographic techniques, focus groups, interviews, observations, surveys, and usability testing. Chapters provide examples of how librarians have used these methods, along with guidance on applying each method to assess different aspects of library operations. This helps describe the library’s value and supports data-driven decision-making for strategic improvements. Examples of each assessment method are drawn from different types of libraries worldwide, including academic, public, school, government, and medical libraries.

This is a valuable resource for library managers and assessment librarians across all sectors. For those with assessment experience, it provides a quick refresher of the learning and skills related to library evaluation. For those teaching or learning about assessment as part of an MLS program, Assessment Tools for Successful Library Evaluations is a reference resource that will help instructors present methods and students to learn and apply the methods.

Holt Zaugg is the Assessment Librarian at the Brigham Young University Library, Provo USA. He is responsible for the user experience, value description, and process improvement assessments of library services, spaces, resources, and personnel. Over the past 11 years, he coordinated or conducted over 120 assessments of academic library services, spaces, resources, and personnel interactions with patrons and library employees, resulting in multiple peer-reviewed publications as well as two dozen conference and workshop presentations.